Clasp.



No. 781,916. PATENTED FEB. 7, 1905.

c. E. SMITH.

CLASP.

APPLICATION FILED APR. 21, 1904.

lvbbmcoaco gum/11 607, fiwam 6762767206 (5752721112 UNITED STATES Patented February 7, 1905.

PATENT OEEICE.

CLARENCE E. SMITH, OF NEIV BRITAIN, CONNECTICUT, ASSIGNOR TO THE NORTH & JUDD MANUFACTURING COMPANY, OF NEIV BRITAIN,

CONNECTICUT, A CORPORATION OF CONNECTICUT.

CLASP.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters I item; No. 781,916, dated February 7, 1905.

Application filed April 21,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CLARENCE E. SMITH, a citizen of the United States, residing at New Britain, in the county of Hartford, State of Connecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Clasps, of which the followingis a full, clear, and exact description.

My invention relates to clasps or fasteners, and particularly for belts, straps, or the like.

Among the objects are to provide a device which shall be neat in appearance, inexpensive to manufacture, effective and durable in operation and use. Incidentally the construction is such that there are no sharp edges to come in contact with the fabrics upon which it might be used.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a plan view of the two parts of my improved fastening device shown in the interlocked position. Fig. 2 is an edge view with the members in position preparatory to looking or unlocking. Fig. 3 is an edge view of the members in the interlocked position, as shown in Fig. 1.

The fastener comprises the two separable members A and B. The member A is preferably formed by casting; but it might be formed in any other way without departing from the spirit of the invention. The member B is preferably formed of spring-wire. These members A and B are each provided with a slot or loop for attaching a belt or strap. These slots or loops are indicated at A B, respectively. The slot A may be a narrow one, or, if desired, the metal may be cut away, as indicated in dotted lines, to cause the part A to simulate more closely in appearance the part B.

C is a hook projecting above the surface of the member A and projecting backwardly toward the slot A. Extending forwardly of this portion of the member A are projections carrying ball-like enlargementsE E, which enlargements are raised above the plane of the body of the member A, as best seen in Figs. 2 and 3. The space between the ball-like enlargements E E constitutes a restricted passage, into which 1904. Serial No. 204,171.

the shank of the hook member B may be inserted, said shank yielding sufficiently when the members are being assembled to permit of the insertion. The member B, as before stated, 5 is preferably formed from spring-wire, and the free ends are bent to form hooks B B lying in the same plane and facing each other and preferably spaced apart slightly one from the other, as shown in dotted lines, Fig. l. Immediately to the rear of the hooks the sides of the wire member B are bent so as to be somewhat contracted, thus forming flaring shoulders B B for the purpose hereinafter described.

In assembling the two members A and B the ends of the hook member B are slipped under the hook C, and then the two members are swung from the position indicated in Fig. 2 to the position indicated in Fig. 3, in which latter position they both lie in substantially the same plane. In swinging these members into the same plane the contracted portion of the hook member B passes through the space between the ball-like enlargements E E, the spring-wire yielding suificiently to allow this. As soon as the sides of the member B have passed the ball-like enlargements they spring outwardly underneath the same and frictionally resist any accidental disengagement of the parts. W'hen assembled, the hooks B B engage underneath the hook C and resist any accidental disengagement of the parts. The inclined shoulders B B also aid in securing the parts by engagement with the shanks of the ball-like enlargements E E. The shoulders B B* prevent the hook member B from being disengaged by movement to the left.

When it is desired to separate the two members A and B, they are swung out of the same plane, so that the sides of the wire-loop member B will pass through the contracted space between the ball-like enlargement, whereupon the hooks proper may be disengaged and the parts entirely separated. I/Vhen assembled, 9

the shanks of the ball-like enlargements E E stand on opposite sides of the narrowest part hooks facing each other and arranged to engage underneath the broad rearwardly-projecting hook on the first member, an intermediate portion of said second member being contracted to pass through the space between the ball-like enlargements on the first member.

Signed at New Britain, Connecticut, this 2 18th day of April, 1904:.

CLARENCE E. SMITH.

Witnesses:

FRANK S. PENFIELD, E. M. WIGHTMAN. 

